Air-drier for pneumatic lines.



TL'L. LAMB & T. c. SHEEHAN. AIR DRIER FOR PNEUMATIC LINES. APPLIOATIONFILED APR .14, 1906.

91 7,61 9. Patentd Apr. 6, 1909;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

D I 4 {9:32; i? ii 1'! E is W|TNESSES: INVENTORS:

J. L. LAMB & T. G. SHEEHAN.

AIR DRIER FOR PNEUMATIC LINES.

APPLIUATION FILED APR. 14, 190B.

Patented Apr, 6, 1909.

2 SHEETS--SHEBT 3.

ENVENTUR S d/i/ WETNESESE purpose, comprises a mass of spongy mate-JAMES L.'LAMB AND TIMOTHY C. SHEEHAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AIR-DRIER FOR PNEUMATIC LINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 6, 1909.

Application filed April 14, 1906. Serial No. 311,628.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES L. LAMB and TIMOTHY C. SHEEHAN, ofPhiladelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania,.have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Briers forPneumatic Lines, whereof the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

In manufacturing establishments where pneumatic tools are employed it iscustom ary to equip the plant with a pneumatic air system from whichcompressed air may be drawn at convenient intervals for the purpose ofoperating the pneumatic tools, within which phraseology 1 include notonly mechanical tools, but oil or gasolene torches, such as are employedin large manufacturing establishments as for example, ship yards, etc.Difiiculty has been experienced in the use of such apparatus by reasonof the condensation of water within the pipes and tools, owing to thepumping of moist air into the pneumatic line, directly from thecompressor. By reason of such condensation, the pneumatic tools becomerusted,- and their operation is rendered irregular, moreover with itsuse in pneumatic torches the flame which they produce become-s inter-'mittent, and will often be extinguished at a @critical moment, as forexample during an annealing operation.

l/Vei have discovered that by passing the air, which is pumped to apneumatic system of this sort, through an air drier, the moisture contaned in the air may be removed and the difliculty which has'beendescribed The air drier which we have invented, and which we have foundwell adapted to this rial suitably supported upon a perforated surfaceand interposed within the pneumatic system. 'We have illustrated, andwill now describe, a convenient form of apparatus embodying ourinvention, as we have employed it; but itis to be understood that 'thedescription is illustrative only, and that our requirements of thesystem in connection with which it'is employed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, illustrates diagrammatically theessential devices required in a pneumatic system;

invention is capable of other and varyingembodiments according to'thenature and including an air drier constructed in accordance with ourinvention and the tools to be operated. Fig. 11, is a plan view of thedrier. Fig. 111, is a vertical sectional view of the same taken alongthe line 111, III, in Fig. ll.

Referring to Fig. i, is connected to be operated, by the engine 2, butobviously any other prime mover may be employed. The air which iscompressed by the compressor is forced into the reservoir 3, and fromthere is led by the pipe 1, to the drier 5, through which it passes tothe pneumatic line 6, which in practice extends and ramiiies as desired,being provided with valve apertures at suitable intervals with whichconnection may be made for supply ing the compressed air to pneumatictools, such as hammers 7, torches 8 or other implements as required. Thedrier 5, comprises a cylindrical shell, having a conical or dishedbottom 6, and provided with a removable cover 1.0, clamped upon itsupper end by the swing bolts 11. The shell is provided with an aperture12-, near the bottom through which compressed air is admitted, and witha plurality of apertures 13, near the top from any of which thecompressed air may be led to the pneumatic tools. Those apertures notactually employed may be capped, by a screw plug 14, as shown in Fig.ill.

Within the cylindrical shell and supported in more or less centralrelation thereto is the basket 15, which divides the interior of thecylinder into opposed chambers 16, and 17, at the top and bottomrespectively. Said basket 15, is preferably cylindrical and fits snuglywithin the cylindrical shell of the drier resting around its lower edgeu )011 the flange 16. The bottom of this bas lrct 15, consists of theperforated diaphragm 18. The cover of the basket consists of a similarlyperforated diaphragm 19, which rests loosely within the basket supportedonly by the contents thereof and capable of being pressed down thereuponby pressure provided by the screw 20, which extends centrally throughthe cover of the cylindrical shell in threaded engagement therewith,and.

is provided with the hexagonal head 21, by which it may be rotated toad'ust the pressure upon the sponge. At the ottom of the cylinder awater exit 25, is provided fitted with an ordinary globe valve 26,leading to a discharge pipe 27.

In operation the basket 15. is filled with a the air compressor 1,

mass of ordinary sponge.- The cover 39, of the basket is then placedupon it, and the cylindrical shell being closed asuitablc dcgroo ol')ressurc is iinpaitcd to the mass ol' s ongc )y means of the screw 20.Air from t is com n'cssor is than admitted to thc lowor side of thedrier below the mass of sponge by way of tho ontrancc .2-, and isforced. tlicrefrom through the upper apertum 13, to the pneumatic line.As the air passes through the mass of sponge tho moisture thereincontaincd is condensed and drips, carrying impurities with it, to thebottom. of the drier "from whence it is blown out by the compressed airthrough the valve 26.

iVc have found that the spongy mass continues to perform its l'unctionol removing f Water lromtlic an" even after it has bccoznc itselfthoroughly saturated with water, the. excess continuing to driptherefrom and to be discharged at the bottom as has been dsscribed.

By reason of the interposition of a drier of this description in apneumatic line, we have found that tho dilliculties resulting fromcondensation ol moisture therein'arc effectually overcome.

tion of moisturcin pneumatic systems such as have been (inscribed.nnlmugh we have named sponqc as the s )ecilic material to be employed,this being too material which We have found best adapted to the purpose,yet it will be understood that other materials ammo having similarabsorbent qualities may be employed.

Having thus described our invention, we Claim1-- 1. An air drier for apneumatic system com prising a 'icrl'orated surface and a mass ofmechanically absorbent spongy material interposed within the line oftravcrsc of the air of the pneumatic system, the spongy matcrial beingsupported upon tllo pcrl'orated surface, where y the moisture which. hasbeen removed. by the spongy material from the air-is in turn drained.from the spongy material.

2. An air drier for a pneumatic system, comprising suitable receptacle aperlorated diaphragm dividing the receptacle horizontally; a mass ofspongy material supported upon said perforated diaphragm; an air entrance and an air exit on opposite sides of said mass of spongymaterial; and an aperture below the perforated diaphragm from which theexcess of moisture Withdrawn from tho air is discharged. T

An air drier for a pneumatic system comprising a suitable receptacle;perforated diapln'agnis within the rcce tacle; an air cntrance near thebottom an an air exitnear the top of the receptacle; a mass of spongymaterial supported within the receptacle between the icrl'oratecl diaihragms; an aperture near the bottom of the receptacle from which themoisturc withdrawn from the air is discharged; and means for causing oneof the diaphragms to exert pressure upon the mass of spongy material.

in testimony whereof, We have hereunto signed our names at Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, this 7th day of A ril i906.

JAMEE) L. L 13. TIMOTHY 0. SHEEHAN Witnesses: l

JAMES H. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON.

